The Dodgers placed Kevin Brown on the DL May 27th with a sprained right elbow, though his elbow is not why the team is now concerned that Brown may miss the remainder of the season.

Brown entered the hospital Monday evening with a back injury. According to reports, he sustained the injury while preventing his son from falling off a bed on May 29th. He chose not to join the team on the road trip that started Sunday due to his sore back; the pain continued to worsen over the next day, leading to his hospital trip.

An MRI showed a protrusion that doctors believe to be a bulging/herniated disc. Brown remains bedridden in the hospital, awaiting the anti-inflammatory drugs he's receiving intravenously to reduce the swelling so that doctors can get a better look at the area and confirm the diagnosis.

The Dodgers still hope to treat the injury through rehabilitation rather than surgery. In an AP article, Brown's agent Scott Boras likened the back injury to the one suffered by fellow client Greg Maddux in Spring Training. Maddux went on the DL with an inflamed nerve in his back in April, but though he suffered some lingering effects after he returned, did not miss much time. Brown would probably need at least a month to rehab his injury.

However there's a possibility that Brown's injury is more serious and will require surgery. If they can remove the necessary portion of the disc with a micro-disectomy, he'll likely be out for 6-8 weeks after the procedure; otherwise surgery could mean he's out for the rest of the season.

In addition to his back problems, his elbow is still a factor in his return. Even prior to this complication, the Dodgers had decided to take it slow with his return. Brown left his May 26th start with a sore elbow. Tests later revealed that he had not damaged any tendons or ligaments but had fluid buildup and inflammation in the elbow. LA didn't want him throwing again until that fluid and inflammation went away. Hopefully his recovery from his elbow troubles will coincide with whatever treatment he eventually undergoes for his back so that neither will delay the start of a throwing program. Right now I don't think the Dodgers will even attempt to bring him back until after the All-Star break.

Omar Daal, who has really served as LA's sixth starter this season, has once again replaced Brown in the rotation. The Dodgers are lucky to have such a qualified candidate to cover when one of their starters is injured. In 53 IP this season, Daal's allowed 39 H and 4 HR with a 45:15 K:BB.

LA called up Bryan Corey to replace Brown on the roster. The 28-year-old started the season in AAA and suffered a fractured jaw when struck by a line drive while throwing batting practice in early April. After recovering from the injury he posted an 8:2 K:BB in 11 IP with 25 H allowed. He's experimented with starting a few times in the past but has primarily worked as a reliever, showing few skills that indicate he deserves a place in a major league pen. Due to wet conditions brought on by rain during the game, Corey sprained his ankle Monday night when warming up in Colorado and has been placed on the DL.

The Dodgers activated Terry Mulholland from the DL to replace Corey on the roster Tuesday. Mulholland went on the DL in early May after he strained his back and experienced back spasms due to a herniated disc. Mulholland pitched acceptably out of the bullpen last season but hasn't done so well this year. In 12.2 IP this season, he's allowed 23 H and 7 HR with a 5:4 K:BB. He does provide the Dodgers with another left-hander out of the pen with Daal now in the rotation.

Unless he improves upon his performance as the season progresses, I'm not sure the 39-year-old will be able to find a team willing to carry him despite his stated preference of continuing to pitch well into his 40's. Although, even at his advanced age Mulholland's six years younger than the Dodgers' other left-handed reliever, Jesse Orosco. While not excelling, Orosco's pitching better than Mulholland, having allowed 9 H and 1 HR in 10.1 IP with a 6:6 K:BB.

The Dodgers called up Jeff Williams when Mulholland went on the DL in early May. Williams was sent down for Dennis Springer on May 25th, though LA designated Springer for assignment a few days later to make room for Orosco. Orosco had been on the DL with a strained abdominal muscle but has now recovered. Guillermo Mota, who was called up when Orosco went on the DL, is still in the majors. The right-hander has pitched well for the Dodgers with 9 H allowed in 14 IP with a 15:5 K:BB.

Williams turns 30 today. The lefty reliever has bounced between AAA and the majors for the last four seasons. In the minors he works out of the rotation, but he's primarily been used as an extra lefty out of the pen when in the majors. His dominance varies, and he struggles with his control, particularly at the big league level. Springer's another old swingman, albeit a right-handed knuckleballer. He's been in and out of the majors since 1995 but doesn't have the dominance or command to stick for long.